CU-1C-1977-02 Cud

Description

Cataloged as CU-1C-1977-02 by Cuds on Coins, this variety documents the second confirmed rim break on 1977 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Memorial cents. A cud forms when a fragment of hardened die steel separates completely from the die's rim, leaving an open cavity that fills with planchet metal under striking pressure to produce a raised, featureless mass along the coin's edge. Philadelphia's 1977 cent production reached approximately 4.47 billion pieces — one of the highest single-year mintages in the denomination's history — and the sheer volume of dies consumed during that campaign made terminal rim fractures a statistical certainty. Each working die was subjected to hundreds of thousands of high-pressure strikes before retirement, and the cumulative fatigue cycling inevitably nucleated cracks at stress concentration points along the rim where the die face meets the collar groove. Fifteen distinct cuds have been documented for the 1977 Philadelphia cent, a census that directly reflects the enormous die consumption rate. CU-1C-1977-02 occupies its own unique position on the die rim, distinguishable from the other fourteen entries by the specific angular location and geometry of its break. The 1977 Philadelphia cent was struck from the standard 95% copper alloy without a mint mark, consistent with the convention that prevailed until 1980. Attribution by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lance Newman
• CU-1C-1977-02
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References